Moment Of A Force

A moment occurs when a force causes rotation about a point or axis. For example, opening
a door or using a spanner to loosen a wheel nut.

Question
What factor(s) affect the ease of rotation about a pivot?

There are two factors that influence rotation about an axis:

1. The magnitude of the rotational force
2. The distance at which the force is applied.

The moment of a force is calculated as the product of the magnitude of the force and the
perpendicular distance between its line of action and the pivot.

Example
Calculate the moment of the force in the diagram below.

𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 = 𝐹 𝑥 𝑑

= 4𝑁 𝑥 0.4𝑚

= 1.6𝑁𝑚
Principle of Moments
For a body to be in equilibrium the sum of clockwise moments must be equal to the sum of
the anti-clockwise moments about any point.

∑ (clockwise moments) = ∑ (sum of anticlockwise moments)

∑ (𝐅 𝐱 𝐝) = ∑ (𝐅 𝐱 𝐝)

∑ - Capital sigma. It means to take the sum

of all the individual components.

The above equation only has ′𝑭 × 𝒅′ once on each side. However, if you have more than
one object on either side which would result in more than one moment, you have to
calculate each individual moment separately.

When a system is stable or balanced it is said to be in equilibrium as all the forces acting on
the system cancel each other out. Therefore, for example, all the upwards forces must be
equal and opposite to all the downward forces.

Example
Is the system pictured below in equilibrium?

𝛴(𝐹 × 𝑑) = 𝛴(𝐹 × 𝑑)
10𝑁 × 2𝑚 = 20𝑁 × 1𝑚
20𝑁𝑚 = 20𝑁𝑚

The object therefore is in equilibrium since the anticlockwise moments equals the clockwise
moments.
Examples
1. What force, F, must be applied for the system to be balanced?

𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠) = 𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠)

𝛴(𝐹 × 𝑑) = 𝛴(𝐹 × 𝑑)

𝐹 × 0.25𝑚 = 5𝑁 × 0.5𝑚

5𝑁 × 0.5𝑚
𝐹=
0.25𝑚

𝐹 = 10𝑁

2. A boy of mass 50 kg sits on one side of the see saw 2.4 m from the pivot. If a girl
balances the see saw by sitting 3 m from the pivot on the opposite side to the boy, what
is her weight?

The first step is to convert the masses to weight.

𝑊 = 𝑚𝑔
𝑊 = 50𝑘𝑔 × 10𝑚𝑠 −2 = 500𝑁

Now apply the principle of moments

𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠) = 𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠)

𝛴(𝐹 × 𝑑) = 𝛴(𝐹 × 𝑑)

(500𝑁 × 2.4𝑚) = (𝐹 × 3𝑚)

1200𝑁𝑚 = 3𝐹

1200𝑁𝑚
𝐹=
3𝑚

𝐹 = 400𝑁
3. AB is a uniform plank which is pivoted at its center. A boy of mass 20 kg sits 2 m from
the pivot on the right side. A girl of mass 40 kg sits 3 m behind him on the same side. A
man of 80 kg sits on the left side of the pivot and balances the plank. Find his distance
from the pivot.

Note that there are two persons to the right of the pivot. Their respective moments
must be calculated individually.

Convert all the masses to weights.

𝑊 = 𝑚𝑔
𝑊 = 80𝑘𝑔 × 10𝑚𝑠 −1 = 800𝑁
𝑊 = 20𝑘𝑔 × 10𝑚𝑠 −1 = 200𝑁
𝑊 = 40𝑘𝑔 × 10𝑚𝑠 −1 = 400𝑁

Now apply the principle of moments

𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠) = 𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠)

(𝐹 × 𝑑) = (𝐹1 × 𝑑1 ) + (𝐹2 × 𝑑2 )

800𝑁 × 𝑑 = (200𝑁 × 2𝑚) + (400𝑁 × 5𝑚)

800𝑁 × 𝑑 = 400𝑁𝑚 + 2000𝑁𝑚 = 2400𝑁𝑚

2400𝑁𝑚
𝑑= = 3𝑚
800𝑚

The old man sits 3m to the left of the pivot.

Questions
1. A boy of weight 60N and a girl of weight 40 N play on a sea saw of negligible weight. If the
boy sits 3.2 m from the pivot of the sea saw where must the girl sit to make it balance?

3.2m x

60N 40N

𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠) = 𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠)

60 × 3.2 = 40 × 𝑥
60𝑁 × 3.2𝑚
𝑥= = 4.8𝑚
40𝑁

2. Jason has a new seesaw at home it is 22m long; he invited his overweight friend James
over to play. They went on the seesaw; Jason pivoted the sea saw 3 m away from the
center and sat at the very edge. If Jason weighs 50kg and James sit also at the edge of the
sea saw what weight must James be if the seesaw is to be balanced?

22m

8m

500N F

𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠) = 𝛴(𝑠𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠)

500𝑁 × 14𝑚 = 𝐹 × 8𝑚

7000𝑁𝑚 = 𝐽𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠 × 8𝑚
7000𝑁𝑚
𝐽𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠 = = 875𝑁
8𝑚